Woes `offer opportunities'.

PositionMONEY

Byline: Lee Hammel

WORCESTER -"It's tough to remain optimistic," the head of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation told about 70 people gathered with seven legislators in South High Community School for a forum last night on the economy and the state budget.

But many in the audience agreed with Michael J. Widmer, when he said the economic calamity presents opportunities to achieve reforms that used to be considered politically impossible. Dawn Johnson, a business owner who worked on the Gateway Park project, suggested the state's prevailing wage law would be a wonderful thing to make extinct.

She said a painter on the project had to be paid $38 an hour "with our tax dollars - I'd like to make that kind of money." State Rep. George N. Peterson Jr., R-Grafton, said $200 million a year could be saved by reducing the law's requirements to those of federal law.

Deirdre J. Loughlin, Worcester interim school superintendent, asked whether the state could better coordinate mental and public health services to schools. State Sen. Harriette L. Chandler, D-Worcester, said the state should consider merging departments and added that local officials should regionalize services to save money.

Mr. Widmer suggested reforming public employee benefits, such as those at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, that he said the state cannot afford.

Both Mr. Widmer and state Rep. Robert P. Spellane, D-Worcester, said the Legislature had nothing to do with the contract bargaining that produced those benefits. But Mr. Spellane, newly named House...

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